1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an energy control apparatus and method. More particularly, the present disclosure enables users to identify and control energy usage at energy consumption places such as home, office and company through mobile terminal, going long with the trend to use limited energy resources efficiently such as development of smart grid and smart meter technologies and implementation of energy price change system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Until now, energies such as electricity, gas and water supply have been provided depending on the maximum demand, and their prices also have been fixedly maintained.
Recently, however, as a method to use limited energy resources more efficiently and reduce energy consumption, a method is being taken in which prices of energy are differentiated by dividing them in time or season.
In connection with this, attention is becoming focused on a Smart Grid or a Smart Meter.
The smart grid is a next generation power network that can optimize energy efficiency and create a new added value by grafting an information technology (IT) onto a power network so that a power supplier and a consumer can exchange information each other in a real time manner.
Viewing the smart grid from the standpoint of an energy consumer, the energy consumer can use energy after finding the most reasonable time zone while the price of energy is changing.
The smart meter refers to a digital wattmeter having a communication function additionally, which can meter the amount of power usage in a real time and enable a power provider and a consumer to make an interactive communication therebetween. Therefore, it is possible to make a remoter meter reading though a meter men does not visit home, and the amount of power usage can be precisely measured due to a real time meter reading, whereby effects of saving metering cost and energy can be obtained.
Meanwhile, users who utilize energy should try to use energy more reasonably by controlling their energy usage actively departing from their conventional passive manner.
One method that users actively control their energy usage is to control energy usage equipment depending on an energy usage state.
Then, since the users cannot monitor the energy usage state of energy consumption places such as home, office and company, it is needed to develop a variety of methods with which users can monitor the energy usage state of energy consumption places with ease at anytime and anywhere and take steps correspondingly.